Antenna for submarines



$352315 UH Huuu gjgm Jam 12, 1937. M. POLATZEK ANTENNA FOR SUBMARINES Filed July 11, 1933 INVENTOR MAXP LATZEK a BY AI'TORNEY 7 rte-strum ENERGY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTENNA FOR SUBMARINES Max Polatzek, Berlin, Germany, assignor to Telefunken Gesellschaft fur Drahtlose Telegraphic m. b. H., Berlin, Germany, a. corporation of Germany Application July 11, 1933, Serial No. 679,860 In Germany August 12, 1932 Claims.

' connection it is important that the insulation within the hose should be excellent and associated only with low losses. It is necessary that the conductors should not be directly surrounded by heavy rubber sheaths or envelopes, in fact, it is preferable that the conductors should be enveloped only with relatively thin insulating covers, if the latter are to be used at all, and should be separated from sea water by a layer of air. This condition is realized by that the leads are arranged within a hose impenetrable (impermeable) to water, such as a rubber hose, say, in the axis thereof.

Now, according to the invention the entire arrangement of the hose is so chosen that it can be inflated with air under compression, and can be maintained while subject to such raised pressure. This embodiment is associated with great advantages. Inasmuch as the pressure of the water tends to compress the hose and to put a load on the supports of the aerial wire, these must be made correspondingly heavy and strong. But this would mean the loss of a good deal of space for the desired low-loss air dielectric. But by blowing in air under compression, the said supports will be relieved and may thus be made weaker in order to thus obtain more space for the air dielectric. Another point is that the electric breakdown strength in such antennae as are used for transmission work increases so that with the use of compressed air less volume will be feasible, for the same transmitter power. With the provision of a second valve at the end, it would, for maintenance and proper preservation of the outfit, be possible to blast dry air therethrough or introduce talcum powder, with the result that the life of the outfit is extended. Furthermore, during operation it is possible to check up by ascertaining the manometric pressure whether the hose is intact or defective (leaky). Another point is that a hose subject to pressure in constant operation Will keep better than a hose which is not inflated.

An exemplified embodiment of the basic idea of the invention is shown in the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the improved antenna;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a spacer member;

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing details of the supporting pieces, small chambers and air channels;

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the flexible and rigid portions of the antenna.

Referring to the same, a is the hose, bl and b2 the terminal pieces hermetically united, for instance, by vulcanizing, and consisting also of rubber. c is the antenna conductor, (1 the inlet valve which at the same time serves as an electric connection for the antenna. The terminal piece bl is secured in the pressure body 6 of the submarine, say, by the aid of a fitting f. The compressed air admitted by way of the valve d escapes through the vents g, g and the air ducts of a crown disk h which bears upon a spacer i. The spacers i have the shape of semi-cylindrical cups which are centrally held together by a rubber band is; they extend the electric conductors c longitudinally, maintain it concentrically with the hose, L

and by the aid of special holes I in the anterior surfaces (see Fig. 2) they permit the air current to find its way through the entire hose-enclosed antenna. Between the spacer pieces are supporting pieces 121. (see Figs. 1 and 3) which support the conductor 0 and by way of small chambers n and air channels 0 afiord a free path for the air current through the cable. The contacting sur faces of the spacer and supporting pieces have a round surface so that structures resembling universal joints result. The end of the electric conductor c has means to protect against corona, say, in the shape of a ball 9. This ball holds together the inner fitting (the chain constituted by the distance or spacer pieces and the supporters). The entire fitting, comprising spacer pieces, supporters and conductors, is fitted more or less loosely both longitudinally as well as in regard to diameter so that it is capable of easy movement inside the protective hose. Fitted into the terminal piece D2 is an auxiliary valve q which serves for the occasional blasting through of dry air and also of talcum powder with a view to preserve the rubber and insure maintenance of the insulation.

Antennae of this kind are useful both as fixed antennae as well as balloon antennae. In the former use they must be so supported by suitable supporting means that, with the boat being submerged, they will not tend to rise owing to inherent buoyancy. When employed as a balloon aerial, however, when travelling over water, they will be carried rolled up in drums whence they are paid out in submerged state. Partly because of inherent buoyancy and partly by virtue of accessory buoyancy imparted to them by a buoy, they will rise to the higher strata of the water Where the energy can be radiated off more readily from the antenna and where energy from other transmitters can be picked up more easily.

If only part of the antenna conductor is to be used for radiation or wave picking work in reception, while the balance being at greater depths (which are anyway less active and useful in, radiation), shall be protected against losses, it will be found advisable to cover the part of the hose surrounding it by metallic sheaths or metal braiding.

It is not absolutely necessary to make the hose of rubber. Since rubber exhibits ageing especially when subject to strong attacks by solar radiations and salt water, so that occasional replacement is unavoidable, it may under certain circumstances be suitable to make the protective hose of metal. But in this case it must be subdivided several times lonigtudinally. But the constituent parts insulated from one another can be made flexible, or partly rigid and partly flexible. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 4 where is shown the rigid metallic parts 1*, the flexible metallic parts s, and the separating insulators t.

I claim:

1. An antenna for submarines comprising an aerial wire supported within an insulated hose with the characteristic feature that the hose envelope is filled with compressed air, and an inlet valve for the compressed air which serves at the same time as an electric terminal for said aerial wire.

2. A weatherproof antenna comprising an aerial conductor supported within a flexible hose, said conductor retained by semi-circular spacers having cup-like ends and a plurality of supporting insulators, each 01 said insulators being interposed between said spacers, the contacting surfaces of said supporting insulators having a rounded surface to fit said cup-like ends of said spacers so as to provide a flexible joint for keeping said aerial conductor flexible.

3. An antenna for submarines comprising an. aerial wire supported within an insulated hose with the characteristic feature that the hose envelope is filled with compressed air and upper and lower enlarged terminal members are secured to said hose, the lower terminal member having an inlet valve for the compressed air, and the upper terminal member having an auxiliary valve for said compressed air.

4. An antenna for submarines comprising an aerial wire supported within an insulated hose with the characteristic feature that the hose envelope is filled with compressed air and upper and lower enlarged terminal members are secured to said hose, said upper terminal member being ellipsoid-shaped, the lower terminal member having an inlet valve for the compressed air.

5. An antenna for submarines comprising an aerial wire supported within an insulated hose with the characteristic feature that the hose envelope is filled with compressed air, and upper and lower enlarged terminal members are secured to said hose, the said lower terminal member shaped so as to provide a securing flange for,

said antenna, said upper terminal member being ellipsoid-shaped, the lower terminal member having an inlet valve for the compressed air, and the upper terminal member having an auxiliary valve for said compressed air.

MAX POLATZEK. 

